VICTORIA'S ''hidden road toll'' has resulted in the hospitalisation of thousands of people this year, including around 900 who spent more than a fortnight in hospital.

The TAC has warned that as Victoria edges closer to its lowest ever road toll, with 288 killed with just one day of the year left, hundreds of people who survived car crashes this year were permanently injured.

This year's road toll is one lower than this time last year. Last year's toll of 290 deaths was the lowest since records began.

While the TAC has said the new potential record is not a cause for celebration because hundreds of people have died, it is a remarkable turnaround compared with two months ago when the toll was 17 higher than the same time last year.

But John Thompson, senior manager of marketing and road safety, said while many people knew about the road deaths they were not aware of the tragic cost associated with many non-fatal accidents.

Exact figures for serious injuries are not yet available for this year. But in the 12 months to April, 5319 people spent at least one night in hospital, with a further 900 estimated to have stayed in hospital for more than a fortnight.

In the 12 months to August this year, 86 people have acquired severe brain injuries on Victorian roads and 13 more have been made quadriplegic or paraplegic.

Mr Thompson said debilitating accidents would continue until people realised how dangerous speed was.

''What most people don't understand is that for every person killed on our roads about 50 people are injured,'' he said. ''This is our hidden road roll and every year [nearly] 6000 people are seriously injured.

''Our biggest challenge for the year ahead is to increase the community's awareness of the dangers associated with speed.''

The TAC has focused heavily on motorcycle safety this year, with 49 people killed on the roads since the year began.

That figure is up 32 per cent on last year, higher than the roughly 8 per cent growth in the number of registered motorcycles in Victoria.

People aged between 21 and 29 on the roads have also died at an alarming rate this year, with 65 people killed, 20 more than this time last year.

Deaths on roads in the Melbourne metropolitan area have fallen from 145 to 126. This contrasts with a rise in the number of people killed in regional areas, from 144 to 162.

The number of males killed this year has soared from 195 to 223 in the past 12 months, while female deaths have fallen from 94 to 65. Recent TAC research showed the spike in male deaths could be due to men being more likely to speed and take risks.

Next year the TAC will expand on its ''Everybody hurts'' campaign, which examines the effect a person's death on the road can have on friends and family. It will also launch a new campaign focusing on the financial cost of being caught drink driving. But Mr Thompson said that ultimately there was only so much authorities could do to keep the roads safe.

''The single most important point for Victorians to remember is that reducing the road toll and the incidence of serious injury is not something any government agency, police force or road traffic authority can do alone.''

Most Australians strongly support increased investment in rail services, including reopening country and regional rail lines and a dedicated high-speed network, to try to reduce Australia’s road toll.

By Jennifer Perry

According to research conducted by polling and interview firm UMR, on behalf of the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) three out of four people worry about the safety of road travel during holiday periods.

The research found that 96% of respondents support reopening Australia’s country and regional rail lines and 79% would consider using a high-speed rail network during the holidays as an alternative to road travel and a measure to help individuals and families travel safely, particularly during holiday periods.

73% of respondents support banning long distance trucks from carrying dangerous goods if there is a rail based alternative.

RTBU national organisor Bob Nanva called on state and territory governments to immediately reinvest in country rail services and to provide $1.00 public transport fares during peak holiday periods in a bid to encourage families to leave their cars at home.

“The road toll is our national shame. Our ‘she’ll be right mate’ attitude to road safety simply has to end,”

“Effectively what we’re saying is if the government is fair dinkum about bringing down Australia’s road toll then they have to do more than dish up the same old solutions to a problem that’s been around for years,” Nanva told Rail Express.

The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) last year published a study The Cost of Road Crashes that highlights the cost of road collisions in Australia. It analyses the cost of road accidents using the most recent methods and statistical values, correcting inconsistent methods used by Australian policy makers.

Australia’s national road toll accounts for around 1450 deaths and over 30,000 serious injuries on our roads each year, costing an estimated $35bn annually.

To improve Australia’s public transport system, the ARA’s Moving People – Solutions for a Growing Australia recommends that the Federal Government set a national policy framework that aligns with the nation’s long term outcomes such as congestion management, environmental improvement and better health and safety.

The report also recommends that the Federal Government provides strategic funding to jurisdictions for projects that would result in transformational change of transport systems.

To download the ARA’s The Cost of Road Crashes report visit:www.ara.net.au/UserFiles/file/Publications/TheCostofRoadCrashesReport.pdf

Most Australians strongly support increased investment in rail services, including reopening country and regional rail lines and a dedicated high-speed network, to try to reduce Australia’s road toll.

By Jennifer Perry

According to research conducted by polling and interview firm UMR, on behalf of the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) three out of four people worry about the safety of road travel during holiday periods.

The research found that 96% of respondents support reopening Australia’s country and regional rail lines and 79% would consider using a high-speed rail network during the holidays as an alternative to road travel and a measure to help individuals and families travel safely, particularly during holiday periods.

73% of respondents support banning long distance trucks from carrying dangerous goods if there is a rail based alternative.

RTBU national organisor Bob Nanva called on state and territory governments to immediately reinvest in country rail services and to provide $1.00 public transport fares during peak holiday periods in a bid to encourage families to leave their cars at home.

“The road toll is our national shame. Our ‘she’ll be right mate’ attitude to road safety simply has to end,”

“Effectively what we’re saying is if the government is fair dinkum about bringing down Australia’s road toll then they have to do more than dish up the same old solutions to a problem that’s been around for years,” Nanva told Rail Express.

The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) last year published a study The Cost of Road Crashes that highlights the cost of road collisions in Australia. It analyses the cost of road accidents using the most recent methods and statistical values, correcting inconsistent methods used by Australian policy makers.

Australia’s national road toll accounts for around 1450 deaths and over 30,000 serious injuries on our roads each year, costing an estimated $35bn annually.

To improve Australia’s public transport system, the ARA’s Moving People – Solutions for a Growing Australia recommends that the Federal Government set a national policy framework that aligns with the nation’s long term outcomes such as congestion management, environmental improvement and better health and safety.

The report also recommends that the Federal Government provides strategic funding to jurisdictions for projects that would result in transformational change of transport systems.

To download the ARA’s The Cost of Road Crashes report visit:www.ara.net.au/UserFiles/file/Publications/TheCostofRoadCrashesReport.pdf

Summary: The road trauma cost is a drain on our economy. It is not sustainable. It is now clear that as a nation we must move to safe sustainable transport systems for people and bulk freight. Road trauma is breaking the nation

There are few Australians that have not felt the grief, the loss, the hopelessness, of the ongoing tragedy of the consequences of road trauma. Every day the media chronicles the sad litany. A recent study commissioned by the Australasian Railway Association on the cost of road crashes has revealed the cost in blunt economic terms (1). Previous estimates have been conservative underestimates; this latest rigorous systematic study has revealed the costs of road fatalities and trauma to be in the order of at least thirty five billion dollars annually. This figure is going to increase rapidly as the road injury management costs continue to climb. There is a much wider social cost to be added but for now let us just consider the economic impact of the road trauma.

This road trauma cost is a drain on our economy. It is not sustainable. It is now clear that as a nation we must move to safe sustainable transport systems for people and bulk freight. Investment in safe public transport through infrastructure and operating subsidies actually saves money. This is a lesson transport planners and governments everywhere must heed. The massive expenditure on roads is leading to unmanageable cost impacts. Investment in safe transport systems is actually saving money. Next time you are held up at a railway crossing as a packed peak hour commuter train passes, give out three cheers. Those passengers are saving you and Australia ultimately a lot of pain.

Rail is approximately 40 times safer than travel by car. Travel by bus is about 10 times safer than travel by car. It is clear that we need to start maximizing use of our rail networks, and support those networks with bus transport to feed rail stations where possible. A major project such as the Cross River Rail Tunnel for Brisbane is actually going to return huge savings. The tunnel is equivalent to a 30 lane road highway in terms of passenger capacity. Why haven’t we started the actual digging?

The rail network in south east Queensland is underutilised. It is time to increase train frequency on all the major lines. Ideally no less frequent than 15 minutes in off peak periods during the day, peak times more frequent as loadings demand. Weekends, holidays and after 9pm at night no less frequent than 20 minutes. Properly support the increased rail frequency with a coordinated feeder bus network. Make travel by public transport attractive. The present rail timetable in South East Queensland has one of the worst train frequencies in Australia and for comparable size cities worldwide. A high frequency rail service makes bus rail connections much more functional and encourages people to get out of their cars and onto safe transport.

The social isolation of cars is something we seldom consider. In the 1950s, family trips to visit relatives in the country or city were usually by rail, an adventure and sharing an experience with others. There was a feeling of community and belonging and the opportunity to meet new folk. Many encounters on public transport have endured as long lasting friendships. The social isolation of cars is not conducive for a healthy community. The increasing demand for anti-depressant medications for example is a sign of an increasingly unhappy nation. Little wonder when one considers the terrifying impact of the road toll. Regular travel by public transport is a community experience. There is social contact and a feeling of belonging. Most journeys by public transport involve an element of active transport, walking or perhaps a bicycle ride to and from the bus or rail stations at departure and end points of the public transport ride. This active transport leads to healthy outcomes. There is a reduction in obesity and diabetes, both conditions that are costly for our communities and health care.

We need roads, but we must start to correct the imbalance in funding that is road centric. There are signs that those in government are starting to hear this message. Recent commitments for the long overdue Petrie to Kippa-Ring railway in Queensland and the railway from Parramatta to Epping in New South Wales are very welcome. But much more needs to be done. In south-east Queensland here are some immediate rail priorities: extend the Gold Coast railway to Coolangatta, duplicate the Sunshine Coast line from Beerburrum to Landsborough and eventually to Nambour, full duplication of the Cleveland line beyond Manly, Coomera to Helensvale duplication, Lawnton to Petrie triplication, Kuraby to Kingston triplication, Darra to Redbank triplication, and electrification from Rosewood to Gatton. These improvements are needed to provide the backbone of a safe sustainable public transport network for a sustainable future.

To augment the heavy rail network, bus rapid transit and light rail has its role. The Gold Coast light rail is going to herald a change in our thinking. Modern light rail is a superb people mover. The loss of the tram system in Brisbane in 1969 can only be described as a disaster. If the tram system had been kept operational it would have evolved as has the tram network in Melbourne which is now the greatest tram system in the world. However, in the years to come there will be opportunities to return modern light rail to Brisbane, and it is the Gold Coast light rail that will alert citizens to what is possible. Continued support for active transport options is also very cost effective. Expansions of the bicycle path network are sensible, but also improve the amenity for pedestrians, the walkers.

The most important factor in driving public transport uptake is frequency. The train frequency can be increased very quickly. The other projects will take a little longer. Now is the time to start to shake off the economic straight jacket of road trauma. We must, the costs of road trauma are breaking our nation.

THE number of people being seriously injured on Australia's roads is on the rise, according to new research that takes some of the shine off much-heralded reductions in road fatalities.

After a decade of significant improvement in road death figures, a report to be published today shows that the number of people hospitalised from road crashes rose consistently between 2001 and 2008.

And one of the most worrying trends was a big increase in the number of middle-aged men being injured on motorcycles and bicycles.

The report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare said that 138 per 100,000 people suffered serious, non-fatal injuries in road accidents in 2001. By 2008, the serious injury rate had grown to 153 per 100,000. In raw numbers, this meant the number of people injured annually rose from 26,700 to 32,500.

''The rates of people seriously injured in a road traffic crash rose by an average of 1.7 per cent each year, '' report co-author James Harrison, of the institute's National Injury Surveillance Unit, said.

Professor Harrison said the standout finding from the report was the jump in injuries to motorcycle and bicycle riders. ''Middle-age blokes - the 45 to 64-year-olds - they are being injured in greater numbers,'' he said.

In 2001, motorcycle and bicycle injuries accounted for one in four hospital admissions in this age group. By 2008 they accounted for one in two.

In the case of motorcycles, this is probably explained by an increase in rider numbers. No official records are kept on numbers of cyclists.

The report said the safety of pedestrians had improved, with life-threatening injuries falling by an average of 1.6 per cent a year over the study period.

The rise in serious road injuries comes despite continued reductions in deaths on the roads. In 2001, the first year of the study, 1761 people died on the nation's roads. In 2008 there were 1489 road deaths. Victoria's toll fell from 409 deaths in 2001 to 330 in 2008.

The release of the report today comes after a bad week on Victoria's roads. Two people died early yesterday when a jeep left the road near Orbost, in the state's east.

Three died in a one-car smash in Werribee on Saturday morning, while two naval trainees died at Crib Point on Wednesday morning.

Victoria Police said yesterday the problem of hoon drivers would be addressed soon with more front-line police and road patrols. It was revealed this week that 600 additional police would be added to operational duties between December and June 30, after more than 1000 recruits entered the academy in the past year.

Police Minister Peter Ryan said it was anticipated that the boost, along with new anti-hoon legislation - provide for first-time hoons to have their cars impounded for 30 days - would reduce high-risk driving across the state.

Mr Ryan would not say when the legislation would be introduced in Parliament, but said it was imminent.

Continued pandering to the selfish road centric development mantra is indeed breaking our nation. I have highlighted previously the rapidly escalating cost of management of the tortured bodies and souls, it is simply out of control.

The Melbourne Age has today published the piece below. How much more evidence is needed? Time to properly fund rail and public transport generally. More expenditure of roads is just throwing money away.

THE number of people being seriously injured on Australia's roads is on the rise, according to new research that takes some of the shine off much-heralded reductions in road fatalities.

After a decade of significant improvement in road death figures, a report to be published today shows that the number of people hospitalised from road crashes rose consistently between 2001 and 2008.

And one of the most worrying trends was a big increase in the number of middle-aged men being injured on motorcycles and bicycles.

The report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare said that 138 per 100,000 people suffered serious, non-fatal injuries in road accidents in 2001. By 2008, the serious injury rate had grown to 153 per 100,000. In raw numbers, this meant the number of people injured annually rose from 26,700 to 32,500.

''The rates of people seriously injured in a road traffic crash rose by an average of 1.7 per cent each year, '' report co-author James Harrison, of the institute's National Injury Surveillance Unit, said.

Professor Harrison said the standout finding from the report was the jump in injuries to motorcycle and bicycle riders. ''Middle-age blokes - the 45 to 64-year-olds - they are being injured in greater numbers,'' he said.

In 2001, motorcycle and bicycle injuries accounted for one in four hospital admissions in this age group. By 2008 they accounted for one in two.

In the case of motorcycles, this is probably explained by an increase in rider numbers. No official records are kept on numbers of cyclists.

The report said the safety of pedestrians had improved, with life-threatening injuries falling by an average of 1.6 per cent a year over the study period.

The rise in serious road injuries comes despite continued reductions in deaths on the roads. In 2001, the first year of the study, 1761 people died on the nation's roads. In 2008 there were 1489 road deaths. Victoria's toll fell from 409 deaths in 2001 to 330 in 2008.

The release of the report today comes after a bad week on Victoria's roads. Two people died early yesterday when a jeep left the road near Orbost, in the state's east.

Three died in a one-car smash in Werribee on Saturday morning, while two naval trainees died at Crib Point on Wednesday morning.

Victoria Police said yesterday the problem of hoon drivers would be addressed soon with more front-line police and road patrols. It was revealed this week that 600 additional police would be added to operational duties between December and June 30, after more than 1000 recruits entered the academy in the past year.

Police Minister Peter Ryan said it was anticipated that the boost, along with new anti-hoon legislation - provide for first-time hoons to have their cars impounded for 30 days - would reduce high-risk driving across the state.

Mr Ryan would not say when the legislation would be introduced in Parliament, but said it was imminent.

THE cost, physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially of the WAR ZONE which is our nations roads is HUGE AND HORRIBLE. The fact it is so easily glossed over by the road transit industry - in its so many forms - is evil but also a testament to their very real financial clout, capable PR spin and media manipulation. It is sadly also testimony to the outright hopelessness of the rail industry to rise up to the crucial battle for community perception, want and demand.

For example, if the promoters of the long-suffering "Inland Railway" had stopped their self-glorifying "political lobbying" and factored into their financial costings the BILLIONS SAVED, EVERY YEAR, in road upkeep, medical and wider community expenses in dealing with the human and social tragedy of our bitchumen KILLING FIELDS, by utilising long-distance rail transit over trucking on many of our nations infamous "two lane country road" highways, we would probably now have dual standard gauge, Melbourne/Darwin tracks via Qld.

The PR campaign is in rails court, but never used, the POLITICAL AND MEDIA POWER available to the rail industry, because the horrendous slaughter of men, women and children on a daily basis on our nations often pathetic "highways" is atomic in its potential and yet the decades sweep by and the road transit industry generates more zoom zoom ads and rail tracks rust and blood continues to flow......

... Most journeys by public transport involve an element of active transport, walking or perhaps a bicycle ride to and from the bus or rail stations at departure and end points of the public transport ride. This active transport leads to healthy outcomes. There is a reduction in obesity and diabetes, both conditions that are costly for our communities and health care ...

SPENDING hours travelling to work each week is making us fat and sick.

Commuting has been linked with the rise of type-2 diabetes, typically associated with obesity.

With 60 new cases being diagnosed every day, Diabetes Queensland chief operations officer Taryn Black said it was blatantly clear lifestyle changes needed to be made and the time spent travelling each day was a good place to start.

"Queenslanders spend an average five hours a week commuting in their car," Ms Black said.

"While this might not seem like much, while they are busy sitting in their cars they don't have time for other things such as getting some exercise, going to the shop to buy food and spending time with the family."

Libby Fomison, 45, is living proof of the high cost of spending hours in transit each day.

She was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes five weeks ago after years of a four-hour daily commute between Bribie Island and Brisbane. Since moving to Aspley to spend less time travelling, she has dropped six of the 25kg she put on in the past two years.

But unfortunately it has come too late for her long-term health.

"(The diagnosis) was a bit of a shock, even though I'd probably had (type-2 diabetes) for a while," Ms Fomison said.

"I was always tired, but you just expect that . . . travelling so far and so long every day.

"I had no energy to walk before work and none when I got home."

Bianca Alexander, 27, is another advocate of incorporating exercise into her daily commute.

After expanding to a size 14 while she was catching a lift with her boyfriend, Ms Alexander is back to a trim size 10 by walking daily between the train station and her data-entry job at Milton.

"I still eat pretty much the same, but I'm doing a lot of walking up and down stairs to the station each day," she said.

Ms Black said only half of Queensland adults were getting the recommended 30 minutes of daily physical activity, and this was contributing to type-2 diabetes reaching an epidemic.

She said small changes to everyday routines could improve fitness, such as taking the stairs instead of the lift, getting off the bus a few stops early, and walking or cycling instead of using the car.

CONSTANT closures of the Sydney Harbour Bridge for various forms of entertainment are yet further examples of the war against the motorist.

Last weekend took the cake, with another frivolous athletic exercise closing the Bridge and placing the entire city in gridlock for hours.

Even when the Bridge finally reopened, motorists reported two-hour journeys that usually took 40 minutes. So much for a peaceful Sunday drive.

The most memorable image of the day was of an exasperated bus driver at a CBD intersection cocking an imaginary rifle and firing it at a car.

For those who don't live in Sydney it can be hard to understand the importance of the Harbour Bridge. All roads eventually feed into it and when the Bridge doesn't flow, the city's heart stops beating.

But these days, Bridge closures, once unthinkable, have become frequent.

It is as if inconvenience to motorists is less important than the need to "share the road" with things like triathlons or picnics or fake turf and giant soccer balls. Or, for that matter, Amway salespeople.

Last year, the Harbour Bridge was partly closed for four days, for two hours each day, while an army of 2000 visiting Amway conference attendees walked across it for charity.

We're all for a good cause, but why can't people walk on a footpath or better yet, on one of the city's over-engineered under-utilised bike paths?

The good news is that at last Australian motorists seem to have a politician who is unashamedly on their side. The new NSW Roads minister Duncan Gay declared Sunday's situation a "mess" and forced an apology from the usually recalcitrant Roads and Traffic Authority, describing it as a "new way the RTA is operating [with] less arrogance".

"We cannot have the city being stopped the way it was yesterday," he said. "It shouldn't have happened and my job this morning is to make sure that it damn well doesn't happen again." Amen to that.

I tend to agree with them on this one. Its a bridge designed and made for cars and traffic. Not people.

To put things in another perspective, what would happen if they closed the South East Busway just so a few people can walk along it. Or how about a 30k fun run on the Pacific Motorway. How about shutting down all trains Roma Street-Brunswick Street so rail and tunnel enthusiests can see the inside of the tunnels. Look how many people get annoyed when a bus stop has to be relocated or if there are track/maintainence for railway lines.

Yes it might have been for a good cause but what about the people that are now inconvenienced because of it. Busways are for busses. Railway tracks are for trains. Roads are for motor vehicles, not people.

The Easter road toll sadly is bad news. Not only fatalities but the huge injury toll, which is generally hidden from the public. I must say Brisbanetimes in reporting injuries as well as deaths is helping to drive home just what a mess the irresponsible behaviours on the roads are really costing in human and economic terms. Brisbanetimes --> Easter road toll: Three dead, 69 injured April 24. Worse now of course.

The community does not want to be forced to use the roads, they are clearly very unsafe. Were there any extra rail services scheduled for the Sunshine Coast line north of Nambour to provide people with a safe alternative? No there wasn't. Was the Airtrain service improved with extended hours of operation to help cater for the Easter airline passenger crowds? No, it wasn't.

TransLink and Queensland Rail managed to put on some extra services for the Dawn service, and generally do a good job in supporting sporting events. But addressing the real needs of our community in other ways they constantly fail.

As feared the road toll continues to climb in deaths and injuries. The appalling behaviour of motorists continues unabated. Some would argue even worse than despite the best intentions of the police and road safety authorities. Most of the fools should not be driving clearly, particularly the idiots that race level crossing signals and drive into boom gates and bridges. What does the Government do to encourage use of safe public transport options? Not much at all really.

The meltdown on the roads every Easter gets worse by the year. It would be a good move to introduce some Easter Rail specials. For example extras to Maryborough on the Thursday before Easter and return on the Monday. Similar trains could run to Toowoomba, with perhaps motor-rail options as well. Maryborough is electrified so no problems there. Toowoomba might be a little more difficult but they should be able to put together a couple of consists. They could have Easter egg hunts as well. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5859.msg53953#msg53953

Seems pretty obvious that with more rail holiday services backed up by decent bus connections to medium distance destinations at a reasonable cost some of the loading on the road system could move to rail reducing the increasing levels of road trauma.The present limitations of rolling stock avaliability and the existing fare structures unfortunately mitigate against an uptake of holiday services, a further reason to seperate Translink from the operation role of the rail system to enable a more proactive approach and better utilisation of the resources avaliable. Ozbob is right on the mark in raising this thread.

Another horrific weekend on the roads, nationally and at the state level.

It is important to highlight the ever mounting injury toll as much as the fatalities. This is rarely done. The cost of road trauma injury management and fatalities is at least $40 BILLION annually and escalating rapidly.

The so called clean energy policy recently legislated favours cars and trucks over public transport and rail. Is this logical? (Rhetorical, no need to answer ...).

It is time every effort was made to ramp up rail transport for freight and passenger. This will lead to enormous economic and social benefit.

Written originally August 2010, nothing much has changed, worse if anything sadly ..

====================

Letter to the Editor

Road trauma is breaking the nation

There are few Australians that have not felt the grief, the loss, the hopelessness, of the ongoing tragedy of the consequences of road trauma. Every day the media chronicles the sad litany. A recent study commissioned by the Australasian Railway Association on the cost of road crashes has revealed the cost in blunt economic terms (1). Previous estimates have been conservative underestimates; this latest rigorous systematic study has revealed the costs of road fatalities and trauma to be in the order of at least thirty five billion dollars annually. This figure is going to increase rapidly as the road injury management costs continue to climb. There is a much wider social cost to be added but for now let us just consider the economic impact of the road trauma.

This road trauma cost is a drain on our economy. It is not sustainable. It is now clear that as a nation we must move to safe sustainable transport systems for people and bulk freight. Investment in safe public transport through infrastructure and operating subsidies actually saves money. This is a lesson transport planners and governments everywhere must heed. The massive expenditure on roads is leading to unmanageable cost impacts. Investment in safe transport systems is actually saving money. Next time you are held up at a railway crossing as a packed peak hour commuter train passes, give out three cheers. Those passengers are saving you and Australia ultimately a lot of pain.

Rail is approximately 40 times safer than travel by car. Travel by bus is about 10 times safer than travel by car. It is clear that we need to start maximizing use of our rail networks, and support those networks with bus transport to feed rail stations where possible. A major project such as the Cross River Rail Tunnel for Brisbane is actually going to return huge savings. The tunnel is equivalent to a 30 lane road highway in terms of passenger capacity. Why haven’t we started the actual digging?

The rail network in south east Queensland is underutilised. It is time to increase train frequency on all the major lines. Ideally no less frequent than 15 minutes in off peak periods during the day, peak times more frequent as loadings demand. Weekends, holidays and after 9pm at night no less frequent than 20 minutes. Properly support the increased rail frequency with a coordinated feeder bus network. Make travel by public transport attractive. The present rail timetable in South East Queensland has one of the worst train frequencies in Australia and for comparable size cities worldwide. A high frequency rail service makes bus rail connections much more functional and encourages people to get out of their cars and onto safe transport.

The social isolation of cars is something we seldom consider. In the 1950s, family trips to visit relatives in the country or city were usually by rail, an adventure and sharing an experience with others. There was a feeling of community and belonging and the opportunity to meet new folk. Many encounters on public transport have endured as long lasting friendships. The social isolation of cars is not conducive for a healthy community. The increasing demand for anti-depressant medications for example is a sign of an increasingly unhappy nation. Little wonder when one considers the terrifying impact of the road toll. Regular travel by public transport is a community experience. There is social contact and a feeling of belonging. Most journeys by public transport involve an element of active transport, walking or perhaps a bicycle ride to and from the bus or rail stations at departure and end points of the public transport ride. This active transport leads to healthy outcomes. There is a reduction in obesity and diabetes, both conditions that are costly for our communities and health care.

We need roads, but we must start to correct the imbalance in funding that is road centric. There are signs that those in government are starting to hear this message. Recent commitments for the long overdue Petrie to Kippa-Ring railway in Queensland and the railway from Parramatta to Epping in New South Wales are very welcome. But much more needs to be done. In south-east Queensland here are some immediate rail priorities: extend the Gold Coast railway to Coolangatta, duplicate the Sunshine Coast line from Beerburrum to Landsborough and eventually to Nambour, full duplication of the Cleveland line beyond Manly, Coomera to Helensvale duplication, Lawnton to Petrie triplication, Kuraby to Kingston triplication, Darra to Redbank triplication, and electrification from Rosewood to Gatton. These improvements are needed to provide the backbone of a safe sustainable public transport network for a sustainable future.

To augment the heavy rail network, bus rapid transit and light rail has its role. The Gold Coast light rail is going to herald a change in our thinking. Modern light rail is a superb people mover. The loss of the tram system in Brisbane in 1969 can only be described as a disaster. If the tram system had been kept operational it would have evolved as has the tram network in Melbourne which is now the greatest tram system in the world. However, in the years to come there will be opportunities to return modern light rail to Brisbane, and it is the Gold Coast light rail that will alert citizens to what is possible. Continued support for active transport options is also very cost effective. Expansions of the bicycle path network are sensible, but also improve the amenity for pedestrians, the walkers.

The most important factor in driving public transport uptake is frequency. The train frequency can be increased very quickly. The other projects will take a little longer. Now is the time to start to shake off the economic straight jacket of road trauma. We must, the costs of road trauma are breaking our nation.

Written originally August 2010, nothing much has changed, worse if anything sadly ..

====================

Letter to the Editor

Road trauma is breaking the nation

There are few Australians that have not felt the grief, the loss, the hopelessness, of the ongoing tragedy of the consequences of road trauma. Every day the media chronicles the sad litany. A recent study commissioned by the Australasian Railway Association on the cost of road crashes has revealed the cost in blunt economic terms (1). Previous estimates have been conservative underestimates; this latest rigorous systematic study has revealed the costs of road fatalities and trauma to be in the order of at least thirty five billion dollars annually. This figure is going to increase rapidly as the road injury management costs continue to climb. There is a much wider social cost to be added but for now let us just consider the economic impact of the road trauma.

This road trauma cost is a drain on our economy. It is not sustainable. It is now clear that as a nation we must move to safe sustainable transport systems for people and bulk freight. Investment in safe public transport through infrastructure and operating subsidies actually saves money. This is a lesson transport planners and governments everywhere must heed. The massive expenditure on roads is leading to unmanageable cost impacts. Investment in safe transport systems is actually saving money. Next time you are held up at a railway crossing as a packed peak hour commuter train passes, give out three cheers. Those passengers are saving you and Australia ultimately a lot of pain.

Rail is approximately 40 times safer than travel by car. Travel by bus is about 10 times safer than travel by car. It is clear that we need to start maximizing use of our rail networks, and support those networks with bus transport to feed rail stations where possible. A major project such as the Cross River Rail Tunnel for Brisbane is actually going to return huge savings. The tunnel is equivalent to a 30 lane road highway in terms of passenger capacity. Why haven’t we started the actual digging?

The rail network in south east Queensland is underutilised. It is time to increase train frequency on all the major lines. Ideally no less frequent than 15 minutes in off peak periods during the day, peak times more frequent as loadings demand. Weekends, holidays and after 9pm at night no less frequent than 20 minutes. Properly support the increased rail frequency with a coordinated feeder bus network. Make travel by public transport attractive. The present rail timetable in South East Queensland has one of the worst train frequencies in Australia and for comparable size cities worldwide. A high frequency rail service makes bus rail connections much more functional and encourages people to get out of their cars and onto safe transport.

The social isolation of cars is something we seldom consider. In the 1950s, family trips to visit relatives in the country or city were usually by rail, an adventure and sharing an experience with others. There was a feeling of community and belonging and the opportunity to meet new folk. Many encounters on public transport have endured as long lasting friendships. The social isolation of cars is not conducive for a healthy community. The increasing demand for anti-depressant medications for example is a sign of an increasingly unhappy nation. Little wonder when one considers the terrifying impact of the road toll. Regular travel by public transport is a community experience. There is social contact and a feeling of belonging. Most journeys by public transport involve an element of active transport, walking or perhaps a bicycle ride to and from the bus or rail stations at departure and end points of the public transport ride. This active transport leads to healthy outcomes. There is a reduction in obesity and diabetes, both conditions that are costly for our communities and health care.

We need roads, but we must start to correct the imbalance in funding that is road centric. There are signs that those in government are starting to hear this message. Recent commitments for the long overdue Petrie to Kippa-Ring railway in Queensland and the railway from Parramatta to Epping in New South Wales are very welcome. But much more needs to be done. In south-east Queensland here are some immediate rail priorities: extend the Gold Coast railway to Coolangatta, duplicate the Sunshine Coast line from Beerburrum to Landsborough and eventually to Nambour, full duplication of the Cleveland line beyond Manly, Coomera to Helensvale duplication, Lawnton to Petrie triplication, Kuraby to Kingston triplication, Darra to Redbank triplication, and electrification from Rosewood to Gatton. These improvements are needed to provide the backbone of a safe sustainable public transport network for a sustainable future.

To augment the heavy rail network, bus rapid transit and light rail has its role. The Gold Coast light rail is going to herald a change in our thinking. Modern light rail is a superb people mover. The loss of the tram system in Brisbane in 1969 can only be described as a disaster. If the tram system had been kept operational it would have evolved as has the tram network in Melbourne which is now the greatest tram system in the world. However, in the years to come there will be opportunities to return modern light rail to Brisbane, and it is the Gold Coast light rail that will alert citizens to what is possible. Continued support for active transport options is also very cost effective. Expansions of the bicycle path network are sensible, but also improve the amenity for pedestrians, the walkers.

The most important factor in driving public transport uptake is frequency. The train frequency can be increased very quickly. The other projects will take a little longer. Now is the time to start to shake off the economic straight jacket of road trauma. We must, the costs of road trauma are breaking our nation.

Mr Emerson said every Queenslander had a right to be outraged with the tired, 20-year Labor government.

“As the RACQ points out, road safety education is vital to curbing road deaths and we know the governments still on track to spend more than $80 million in self-promoting taxpayer funded ads, while road safety funding is being cut.

“Australia’s worst Treasurer Andrew Fraser has saddled our state with record-breaking debt and road users are the victims being forced to pay for his economic mismanagement.

The police commissioner is pleading for commonsense/courtesy/safety on the roads. ' Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson in impassioned plea for Christmas road safety, http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/show-some-respect/story-e6freoof-1226228921025 '. And good that he is. But again the article highlights the sad fatality toll, but what about the massive injury toll? By highlighting both, pleas might be a bit more productive. For every road fatality there are approximately 25 hospital admission for injuries caused by road crashes on average. The cost of managing the horrific injury toll is a massive burden to the health sector.

The incident of the child falling from the train up north highlights how out of touch the nation actually is. A misadventure on a train is cause for major upheaval media and organisational wise. Meanwhile deaths and injuries continue unabated on the roads.

There is a point where responsibility for one's actions, in this case the need to supervise children is not a cop out for 'zero harm' ...

The carriages are in constant use and have been for 45 years. I can only recall one other chap falling out, when some what under the influence he opened the wrong door.

People have regularly fallen out of motor vehicles, and occasionally out of aircraft, overboard on ships ... 5 year olds need supervision on all transport modes.

A person has posted the following comment on our forum with respect to the whoo-haaa re the train incident at Cairns:'What a double standard. If the same reaction was taken to every road accident (and it should) then all cars should be take out of service whilst each and every road accident is investigated. Again we treat a road accident as just a simple mistake or error or bad luck or stupidity but a train accident requires a "Royal Inquiry"

What is good for the goose is good for the gander'

The hypocrisy of the authorities is palpable.

Drive safely, but better to catch a train or bus, if you can find one.

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers is appalled by the lack of political leadership in reducing the number of deaths and those injured or maimed in road crashes.

Robert Dow, spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track said:

“Whilst our major political parties squabble about the funding of 'road safety' campaigns and 'safer roads', people continue to die and be maimed on our roads on an escalating daily basis (1). What is putting lives at risk is the sheer volume of cars and trucks on our roads day and night and the lack of serious policies to move the vast majority of people and freight by rail or public transport."

"Rail is 40 times safer than driving and a bus 10 time safer not to mention 100's of times more efficient yet our transport networks are being designed for 80% of trips to be by motor vehicle. Road trauma is costing our nation around $40 billion each and every year and this cost is escalating rapidly (2,3)."

“The rail industry has numerous campaigns aimed at achieving Zero Harm and every life lost is the focus of concentrated assessment to avoid the loss in the future. Meanwhile the road transport industry sees a life lost as a mere statistic and primarily the fault of the operator. The contrast could not be starker and explains why the rail industry has deaths in the low 30’s whilst the road industry is in the 1000’s. A transport mode that has the huge death and injury toll such as road would quite rightly be expected to be shut down. Unfortunately, cars and trucks are a favoured political species, and the community is sacrificed."

"If our political leaders aspire to 'truly' reducing road deaths then the Road Industry must adopt a Zero Harm mentality and our transport systems designed to have the minimum number of motor vehicles physically possible on the road. Instead of 80% of trips being by motor vehicle there should be only 25% and long distance road trips a thing of the past."

"Countries and cities all over the world have shown that such targets are possible if actually planned from the beginning and the economic, social and environmental benefits greater."

"The ways and means are there. All that is it needed is leadership, not political mud slinging and name calling."

People aren't going to be motivated to catch PT unless it is convenient (i.e. they can take their camping gear along easily) and it is frequent & fast. My experience on the tilt train - next time I fly. The thing doesn't go any faster than QR CityTrain and the cost is about the same or more than an air ticket.

Negative people... have a problem for every solution.Posts are commentary and are not necessarily endorsed by RAIL Back on Track or its members. Not affiliated with, paid by or in conspiracy with MTR/Metro.

People aren't going to be motivated to catch PT unless it is convenient (i.e. they can take their camping gear along easily) and it is frequent & fast. My experience on the tilt train - next time I fly. The thing doesn't go any faster than QR CityTrain and the cost is about the same or more than an air ticket.

The only trips not contestants by rail and/or PT is trips carrying freight short distances than cannot be serviced by rail and even freight trams. The current system makes that impossible but that does not mean it can't!